A forthcoming memoir by a woman who accused a senior British royal of sexual assault contains a new allegation: that a court-ordered silence was arranged to protect a major national celebration.
The late Virginia Giuffre, who died in April, writes in her posthumously published book that she agreed to a one-year legal gag order in 2022. She states this measure was critically important to the royal defendant, as it ensured that public allegations would not further disrupt the Platinum Jubilee festivities honoring his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II.
That same year, a U.S. judge allowed Giuffre’s civil lawsuit to proceed. Shortly thereafter, the Queen removed her son from his formal military roles and patronages.
Giuffre’s account details how a controversial 2019 television interview given by the royal, in which he defended his association with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, invigorated her legal team’s efforts. The memoir suggests the interview prompted her lawyers to consider compelling testimony from the royal’s former wife and his two daughters.
The civil case was settled out of court in 2022. As part of the settlement, the royal made a substantial financial payment to Giuffre and a separate donation to a charity supporting victims’ rights. He also publicly expressed regret for his association with Epstein and pledged to support efforts against human trafficking.
In her writing, Giuffre reflects that beyond the financial terms, the settlement provided a form of acknowledgment of the harm she and others suffered, along with an implied agreement not to publicly deny the allegations again.
The memoir is scheduled for release later this month.
